Program Website

Biology is the study of living things. Biologists study life from molecules to ecosystems. Do you want to be a doctor or veterinarian, save endangered species and environmental resources, discover the cellular mechanisms of behavior and disease, and investigate gene function and the use of recombinant DNA? Choosing to study Biology could be your first step. In the future, biologists will be increasingly important in helping to find solutions to the problems of our planet.

Senior Research is the capstone experience of the Biology major at Stetson University. Watch videos of four recent graduates as they describe their Senior Research projects.

Watch video about Nick Davis's research on Armor Plated Catfish.

Watch video about Gail Ferek's DNA Microbiology research.

Watch video about Hayley Rutger's research on Curtiss' Milkweed.

Watch video about Josh Morganti's research on Taste Receptors.

Faculty

Most Biology faculty are active researchers. Several have received University awards for research and have obtained external research funding from the National Science Foundation and other granting agencies.

Biology faculty members include:

• Derek T. Barkalow, Ph.D, Rutgers University; cell biology and physiology
• Cynthia C. Bennington, Ph.D., West Virginia University; plant population genetics and evolutionary biology
• Christine Ann Biernacki, Ph.D., University of Central Florida; science education
• Terry M. Farrell, Ph.D., Oregon State University; ecology and environmental science
• Melissa A. Gibbs, Ph.D, University of Delaware; developmental biology and spring fish ecology
• Michael S. King, Ph.D., University of Virginia; neuroscience/brain mechanisms underlying behavioral responses to taste input, McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching (2008)
• Peter G. May, Ph.D., University of Florida; vertebrate and insect ecology, ecology, natural history of birds (website)
• Alicia S. Schultheis, Ph.D., Virginia Tech University; molecular ecology, freshwater macroinvertebrates
• David A. Stock, Ph.D., North Carolina State University; microbial genetics and ornithology, DNA metabolism
• Kirsten Ann Work, Ph.D, University of Oklahoma; aquatic ecology and conservation

Special Features

In the Biology Department, teaching comes first. Classes are small. Students are encouraged to ask questions and to get to know their professors. All biology courses include hands-on laboratory sessions taught by professors. You will work closely with a faculty member on your Senior Research Project. This project is the capstone experience of the Biology major. Typically completed in a faculty member's laboratory, the research project allows one-on-one interaction between student and professor. After completing your Senior Research Project, you will present your research at our Stetson University Research and Creative Arts Symposium, and you may even have the opportunity to present your results at a scientific meeting or co-author a manuscript with your faculty mentor.

Three majors are offered through the Biology Department: Biology, Aquatic and Marine Biology , and Molecular Biology For information on Aquatic and Marine Biology and Molecular Biology, please refer to other Admissions materials and the University Bulletin.

Course Information

A major in Biology requires 13 units of course work, in addition to the College of Arts and Sciences general education requirements. The required lower-division courses are Introductory Biology (I, II, and III), General Chemistry, Biostatistics and a mathematics course.

Upper-division Biology classes include: Microbiology, Genetics, Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Developmental Biology, Flora of Florida, Invertebrate Zoology, Vertebrate Zoology, Ornithology, Marine Biology, Immunology and Hematology, Endocrinology, Animal Behavior, Cell Biology, Limnology, General Physiology, Ecology, Neurobiology, Evolution, Molecular Biology, Molecular Ecology, Conservation Biology, and Plant Ecology. Finally, in addition to these courses, each student must complete four junior/senior-level elective courses as well as independent research for the Senior Project.

Career Opportunities

Stetson Biology majors are trained to be scientists; therefore, many graduates pursue master's and doctoral degrees leading to careers in biological research, environmental science and conservation, and secondary or college teaching. Also, the majority of premedical students at Stetson are biology majors. Many others pursue careers in the health professions, such as dentistry and veterinary medicine.

Alumni Highlights

• Meredith Cobb '08 is in the master's program in Public Health at Ohio State University.
• Lee Emery '09 is in the veterinary program at the University of Tennessee.
• Hayley Rutger '07 completed the Science Writing master's program at the University of California - Santa Cruz and is a public relations specialist at the Mote Aquarium in Sarasota, Fla.
• Josh Smith '07 is in the Forensic Science program at George Washington University.
• William McSwain '07 is a third-year medical student at Vanderbilt University.
• Joseph Delmond '06 is a fourth-year dental student at the University of Florida.
• Monique Rashid '05 is working toward a Ph.D. in Behavioral Analysis at the University of Florida.
• Scott Pritchard '03 received a master's degree in epidemiology from Yale University and now works as the epidemiologist for Sarasota County, Fla.
• Joey Biondilillo '09 is a first-year medical student at Nova Southeastern University.
• Caroline Barron '08 is in the master's degree at Western Carolina University studying Aquatic Biology.

Clubs and Organizations

• Beta Beta Beta biology honorary society
• American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
• MedEx (Medical Experience)

Department Awards

• Dorothy L. Fuller Award for Outstanding Senior
• Outstanding Research Award
• Outstanding Service to the Department Award

Contact:
Cynthia Bennington
386-822-8179
cbenning@stetson.edu

Full Time Faculty: 10

Degrees Offered:

• Bachelor of Arts in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Aquatic and Marine Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology

Our Graduates Attend:

• Cornell University
• Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
• Nova Southeastern University
• University of Central Florida
• University of Florida
• Vanderbilt University
• Yale University